


Gotta Keep on Dreaming

by ASimpleCherryTree



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Bisexual Julie Molina, Bisexual Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), M/M, Nobody is Dead, POV Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Pansexual Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Peterpatter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28274409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASimpleCherryTree/pseuds/ASimpleCherryTree
Summary: Julie, Flynn, Luke, Alex, and Reggie meet in college
Relationships: Luke Patterson/Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 66





	1. Move In Day

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know whether this needs to be said or not but they don’t live in dorms they live in an apartment near the school

“You’ll love them,” my mom said. “Their moms speak very highly of them.”

“You’ve never even met them, Mom,” I said. “If it weren’t for the rent situation there would be no way I’d move in with my mom’s friends’ kids.”

“I can’t believe you’ve never met them before. You went to the same school as them all year last year and high school with Alex.”

“Our graduating class was 1,000 kids.”

“I’m sure you have mutual friends. You’ll figure it out when you meet him, I’m sure of it.”

“Okay, Mom. I’m going to bring my stuff in now.” I grabbed my guitar from the backseat first. That’s the first thing that they should know about me.

I walked over to the elevator and pressed the up button with the lamp I had under my left arm. I turned around when I heard footsteps behind me.

I recognized the leather jacket-clad boy from the pictures my mom showed me last night. “Reggie, right?”

“Yeah?” he said. “Am I supposed to know you?”

“Oh, I’m Luke. I’d extend a hand, but I don’t have one free.”

“Oh, you’re my roommate. I got here two hours ago and was starting to think you guys would never show up.”

“Alex isn’t here?”

“I think he’s coming tomorrow. Something with his mom.” The elevator door opened and we stepped inside.

Reggie pressed the button for the sixth floor and we waited for the doors to shut. “You play the guitar?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah, I can play it while you’re not home if that bothers you.” I was hoping he’d be cool about it.

“You can play it whenever,” he said with a smile. “On one condition.”

“Oh?”

“I get to play my bass whenever.”

“You play bass?”

“It’s already next to my bed. Speaking of, do you need any help bringing stuff up?”

“That’d be really helpful,” I said. “That’s really generous.”

“Beats sitting alone in the apartment watching you unpack.”

“That sounds like a scene in a sitcom,” I said. “Picture it; you sitting in your bed, plucking at your bass, watching as I pull things past your doorway.”

“I think that implies that I’m the bad boy character,” Reggie said. The elevator doors opened and he led me to our apartment. “I might just have to lean into that.”

“Do we really need a bad boy character in our sitcom?”

“I mean, I already wear a leather jacket.”

“Okay, Reggie, but you offered to take multiple trips up and down six floors with my stuff right after meeting me. There’s no way you’re the bad boy. Maybe it’ll be Alex.”

“Maybe.”

It will not be Alex. I finished unpacking most of my stuff and Reggie and I were playing our instruments in the living room when we got a text.

Alex - hey! i got your numbers from my mom! i just wanted to let you guys know that i’m so excited to meet you and that i wish i could have been there today!

Alex - also i dont want to be rude so do you have any problems with me bringing my drum set? ill only play it when youre both gone but it takes up a lot of space

Alex - i just need to know for car loading purposes

I looked over at Reggie with a smile. “He really thinks we’ll have a problem with it.”

“What are the chances that all three of us are musicians?” he asked. “Three random kids from L.A. who know each other through their moms.”

“Maybe it’s the universe.” Reggie’s smile widened so that it was taking up his whole face. I cleared my throat, not liking the way that smile made me feel. “We should probably text Alex back.”

“Oh, yeah.” He pulled out his phone.

Reggie - not a problem my good sir!

I read the text and looked up at him. “My good sir?”

“It felt appropriate.” I smiled and pulled out my own phone.

Luke - seriously though it’s pretty rad that you play drums

“I can’t say my good sir but you can say rad?”

“Sometimes I forget that’s not a part of most people’s vocabulary.”

“I think it’s cute,” Reggie said.

“Thanks.” I picked my guitar back up and started playing softly.

Reggie and I realized at 5:30 that we don’t have any groceries. “Why don’t we go grocery shopping tomorrow with Alex?” Reggie asked. “What if he has dietary restrictions?”

“That doesn’t solve dinner tonight.”

“We can go out. There’s a really nice Mexican place down the street that I basically lived on last year.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Let’s go.” I grabbed my keys off the counter. “I’ll drive.”

“It’s down the street. We should walk.”

“Okay.” I set down my car keys and threw my apartment key in my pocket. “After you.”

We left the apartment and saw two girls opening their apartment door. One of them turned to us. She was wearing the cutest bleached pink pants. “Hey, we’re just moving in today,” she said. “So I guess we’re your new neighbors. I’m Julie Molina.” She extended her hand.

“Luke Patterson,” I grabbed her hand and shook.

“I’m Reggie Peters,” Reggie said. “We also moved in today, we’re getting dinner.”

“Are you two?” the unnamed girl asked.

“Are we what?” I asked.

“Never mind. I’m Flynn. It’s nice to meet you.”

“How’d you two meet?” Julie asked.

“Oh, our moms know each other,” Reggie said. His face was a little pink. “We just met today. We’re also meeting our third roommate tomorrow.”

“Our third roommate moved in last week,” Flynn said. “We all met in Creative Writing last year.”

“Are you all sophomores?” I asked. Julie nodded.

“I don’t want to keep you from your dinner reservations,” Flynn said.

“We don’t have a reservation,” Reggie said. “We’re just getting Mexican down the street.

“So you chose to eat this early? Wild.”

“It was nice to meet you guys,” Julie said. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

“It was nice to meet you, too,” I said. She smiled and walked into her apartment.

I turned to face Reggie. “Dinner?”

“Yeah, sure.” He linked his arm in mine and we walked to the elevator.


	2. Meeting Alex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reggie and Luke meet Alex and Carrie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so much less productive when I’m off of school because all I want to do is play my guitar but I’m getting these out

Reggie and I were sitting in the kitchen poking at the leftover burritos from last night when we heard keys in the lock.

I set down my burrito and ran to the door to help with anything he needed to carry. When the door opened I saw Alex standing there with a small bag. “Hi, I’m Luke Patterson,” I said, extending my hand. I’ve seen him in the hallways before, but I think he took classes in the enriched wing.

“Alex Mercer.” He shook my hand and turned to the kitchen where Reggie was still eating his burrito. “You’re Reggie?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, we don’t have groceries so this is my breakfast and I don’t do well conversationally before I’ve eaten.”

“We don’t have groceries?” Alex turned to me with wide eyes. I shrugged.

“We were planning on going grocery shopping today with you after you got settled. We went out last night, hence the breakfast burrito,” I said.

“Regular burrito,” Reggie corrected. “For breakfast.”

“Okay, I’ll go down and grab my stuff,” Alex said. “I just need to put this bag in my room.”

“Second on the right,” I said. I went to the counter to shut my leftover box. Three bites of a burrito will have to suffice as breakfast today.

Alex walked out of his room. “I’ll help bring your stuff up,” I said.

“You don’t have to,” he said.

“No, I should. Reggie helped bring my stuff yesterday and I’ll pay it forward. Besides, you have an entire drum set to bring up, no?” Alex smiled and we walked down to his mom’s car together.

I’d never met Alex, but his mom was one of my mom’s best friends. “Hello, Leanne,” I said when I walked outside.

“Oh, Luke, I just love that you’ll be Alex’s roommate. It makes me feel really good about him moving so far away.”

“It’s on the other side of the city.”

“That’s just too far,” she said with a laugh. “We wouldn’t want him getting in trouble.” I walked around to the trunk where Alex was pulling out some drum bags.

I grabbed one from his hands so that he could grab another. He looked upset. We walked to the elevator with the drums. “Are you okay?” I asked once the elevator doors shut.

“No,” he said. “She didn’t want me to have my own place because she doesn’t want boys coming in and out. I told her that I’m gay yesterday.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, are you gonna get weird about this? Maybe I shouldn’t have come out five minutes after meeting you, I’m sorry.”

“No no no,” I said. “Please. For one thing, if I got weird it would be my problem and not yours. You would have every right to get upset with a homophobe. But that’s not me, I’m pan.”

“I still think it’s weird to come out to someone I’ve known for five minutes.” The elevator doors opened and we walked to the apartment.

“I think it’s weird to not accept your own child.”

“Is your mom cool with it?” Alex asked. “Not to generalize, but I’ve met her a few times and she doesn’t seem the pride parade type.”

“Oh, I haven’t told her. That would just push us farther apart and I don’t need any of that.”

“Farther apart?”

“She hates that I play guitar, even though she’s the one that bought it for me. I got too serious about it, I guess. She didn’t want me going to college for music.”

“You play guitar?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Reggie plays bass, too.”

“We’re basically a band in an apartment.”

“Yeah.”

After a few more awkward trips to the car we had gotten everything out, so Leanne drove away and we grabbed the last of the stuff from Alex’s car. “Ready for a Target run?” I asked.

We put the last of the stuff in the living room and I went to get Reggie from his room. “Grocery time,” I said. “Unless you want to live on burritos for the rest of college.”

“I’ll have you know,” Reggie said, getting up from his bed. “I would not have a problem living off of burritos.”

We all walked down to the garage and got in my car. “Target better get ready,” Reggie said. “We’re going to empty their inventory.”

“With $150?” Alex laughed. “We’re couldn’t empty out the garden section.”

We ran into Julie and Flynn at Target. They were also with another girl, the third roommate, I suppose. “Hey guys,” Flynn said. “This is Carrie Wilson.”

“Hi,” I said. “I’m Luke, and these are Reggie and Alex. We’re getting groceries.”

“Oh,” Julie said. “We’re getting snacks for game night.”

“I just got a genius idea,” Flynn said. “Y’all wanna come over for game night?”

“Of course,” Reggie said. Alex looked over at us, confused.

“Oh, Alex,” I said. “They live next door. Julie and Flynn.”

“So we’re doing game night tonight?” he asked.

“It’ll be fun,” Julie said. “We’re going to need more snacks, though. We’ll see you tonight at seven.” Carrie waved and the three of them took off for the chip aisle.

“First things first,” Reggie said. “Eggs. Then probably rice. We need basic meal bases like rice, noodles, and bread, then we get spices, then additional things to change up the meals like tomato sauce and chicken.”

“Oh, so you have a strategy for this?”

“Of course. I take grocery shopping very seriously. We’re also going to need cereal so that we can make a quick breakfast after a long night.”

“You don’t eat cereal every day?” Alex asked.

“Scrambled eggs and pancakes are where it’s at, Mercer. We also need pancake mix.”


	3. Game Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Game night at the girls’ apartment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ll get to plot eventually but we have not had enough of the girls yet WE’RE GETTING THERE

Reggie made lemon chicken for dinner at six and we practically inhaled it. “Reg, you’re an amazing cook,” I said.

“My cousin taught me when I was little. I used to hang out at her house whenever my parents, um, whenever my parents weren’t able to watch me.”

“Give her my thanks,” I said. “That chicken was to die for.”

“My food would never kill anyone.”

“Figure of speech, Reggie.”

We were all done eating at 6:15, so I grabbed my guitar and started playing a song I wrote in the car on my way to move in. It was about being scared to move in with strangers, so it seems wrong to play it now. I just don’t like my songs never being played.

Alex popped his head in my room. “That sounds really nice,” he said. “‘I don’t want to meet you but I want to know you.’ That’s beautiful. Who’s it about?”

“You and Reggie? I was scared I was going to get crappy roommates. My mom isn’t the best judge of character.”

“You wrote a song about us?” He walked into my room and sat on my bed. “That’s awesome. I can’t write music.”

“I’ve always preferred to play songs I write, it feels more emotional.”

Alex switched to his stomach. “So I want to hear the song.”

“This is the first time I’m playing it, it’s nowhere near perfect.”

“Screw perfection. We’ve only got 45 minutes until game night.” I smiled and moved my fingers to play my E chord.

Reggie nearly ran into the door to get us for game night. “I love board games,” he said.

“Are you sure it wasn’t the cute girls?” Alex teased.

“Yeah, no. I used to have a Monopoly-themed bedroom. I couldn’t care less about how cute our neighbors are.”

“Well, let’s go,” I said. “You strike me as a top hat kind of guy, Reggie.”

“Practically required,” he said. “With the name Reginald, it’s my birthright.”

“Your name is Reginald?” Alex asked, holding back a laugh. “That’s good.”

“I know. My parents are a force to be reckoned with.”

We were standing outside of apartment 6b. “I feel like we should have brought drinks,” I said. “They did buy all of the snacks.”

“I could go get our sodas,” Reggie offered. He turned to go to our apartment but Carrie opened the door.

“I thought I heard voices,” she said. “Come inside!”

Julie and Flynn were sitting next to each other at a coffee table with glasses of lemonade set up next to their Uno cards. “You’re here!” Flynn said. “Carrie dealt the cards at 6:30 to ‘prepare.’”

“It’s always good to be prompt,” she said.

Julie looked up from her phone. “Whoever was playing guitar earlier has a beautiful voice.” I looked down at my feet.

“I guess we have thin walls.”

Alex put his hand on my shoulder. “That was Luke. He has an amazing singing voice.”

“He wrote a song about us,” Reggie said with a smile. “It was oddly romantic, though.”

“That’s only if you want it to be.” I winked at Reggie. “But the lyrics are meant to be taken very literally. I wrote it before I met them.”

“So do we get to hear the song?” Carrie asked. She sat down on the couch with a glass mug of hot cocoa.

“I didn’t bring my guitar.”

“You live next door,” Flynn said. Julie had pulled her phone out again. She had a weird look on her face.

“Reggie’s getting antsy. We should probably play.” Carrie shrugged and flipped over the top card from the deck.

“Left of the dealer starts,” she said. “That’s Alex.”

After a cutthroat game of Uno that Flynn won Julie went to go get popcorn. She was kind of in a funk toward the beginning of the game, but she had completely snapped out of it by the time Flynn pulled a draw four on her.

“Do you guys like kettle corn?” she yelled from the kitchen.

“Who doesn’t?” Reggie asked. Julie walked into the living room with three bowls of popcorn.

“I’m sharing with Flynn, so that means Carrie and Alex and Luke and Reggie are sharing.” I smiled and grabbed the huge bowl from Julie and set it between Reggie and me. He reached in and grabbed a handful.

“Monopoly?” he asked. He was right about coming over for the game, he’s been itching to play that game all night. Julie smiled.

“Of course. I’ll go get it.” She pushed herself off of the floor and ran to the hallway.

I looked around the living room. The apartments came furnished, but Carrie really transformed it in the week she lived there with decorations. I think I put my guitar in my room and called it good, but Carrie already had pictures and paintings on every wall. The kitchen had a pink theme and was covered in knick-knacks. I could still see that this apartment had the same layout as ours.

“I’m going to get a refill on my cocoa,” Carrie said. “Do any of you want any?”

“Does it have marshmallows?” Reggie asked. I laughed to myself.

“I’m not a monster, Reggie. So that’s two hot cocoas?”

“I had an iced coffee with my dinner,” Alex said. Carrie nodded and walked into the kitchen.

“So why don’t you want hot cocoa?” Flynn asked.

“I’m not the world’s biggest hot cocoa fan,” I said. “It’s also August.”

“You don’t like hot cocoa?” Reggie gasped. “That’s insane.”

“No, it’s fine, it’s just the worst warm drink. We’ve got coffee and tea, which are amazing, and hot cocoa is so-so.”

“I cannot believe you.” Carrie walked into the room and handed Reggie his hot cocoa. “Luke, you must share this with me. I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t get you addicted to hot cocoa.” He took a sip and smiled. “Best hot cocoa I’ve ever had, Carrie.” He passed the mug to me.

I took a sip. It was decent hot cocoa, but it’s not tea. It’s like a subpar chocolate milk. “Delicious.”

“Not convincing.” Reggie grabbed the mug and took a long drink. “But you’ll love it by the end of the game.” Julie came running into the room with a beat-up Monopoly box.

“I’m the dog,” she said. “That’s very important to me.”

“Reginald is the top hat,” Alex and I said at the same time. I turned to him and smiled. Reggie laughed.

“I would like to be top hat,” he said. “I would also like to warn you that I will be winning this game.”


	4. Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner with the six of them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so there’s a little more of Carrie's personality in this one so I’m just gonna say that Carrie is not going to be as rude in this fix because I believe her relationship with Julie is a result of a falling out they had before the show (possibly when Julie’s mom died?) but she’s still going to be self-absorbed as a character

Alex finally finished setting up his drum set so he invited Reggie and me into his room while he played it for the first time in the apartment. I think he’s mostly worried about neighbors getting mad.

“Dude,” I said. “They would have come in yesterday when Reggie was screaming whatever song that was.”

“Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood?” Reggie asked. “I’m sure they’d understand.”

“Who hurt you?” Alex asked.

“No one. I’ve never dated anyone, I just love the song.”

I laid down on my stomach on Alex’s bed. “What about unrequited love? That can feel like cheating.”

“I wouldn’t key someone’s car over unrequited love, Luke,” he said. “People are entitled to their feelings. Also, I’ve had unreciprocated crushes but never an unrequited love. That would warrant getting close enough to someone to fall in love.”

“Have you never fallen in love?” Alex asked.

“God no. I’ve had like two friends, one of them my cousin.”

“Have you fallen in love?” I asked Alex.

“I think so. I mean, I know I’ve fallen in love platonically, but I think I fell in love with one of my friends freshman year. He was very straight, though. I fell hard and I don’t know if it was love.”

“Deep.”

“How about you, Luke?” he asked.

“I’ve thought I was in love a lot. I don’t know if I ever was, but I always said ‘I love you’ before I really meant it. I had this one girlfriend my sophomore year that I said it to just because my mom liked her. Once you say ‘I love you’ a switch flips in your brain that makes you believe it. I was definitely not in love with her, though.”

“I’m kind of glad I’ve never gotten close with anyone,” Reggie said. “This sounds complicated. If I fell for a straight dude I’d be a wreck.”

“You’d fall for a straight dude?” I asked.

“I hope not. It sounds like it’s out of my control, though.”

“That’s not what he’s asking,” Alex laughed. Reggie raised his eyebrow. “You’re into dudes?”

“Oh, I never told y’all I’m bi? I guess I just assumed you knew.”

“I knew,” Alex said. “You’ve got a very bisexual vibe.”

“What does that mean?”

“The leather jacket, flannel, you play bass, need I go on?”

“I’m just like that.”

“And you’re also bi.”

“Touché.”

“Alex, are you gonna play?”

“Oh yeah.” He pulled his sticks out of the little bag and started playing.

He had barely started the rhythm he was tapping on the ride cymbal when someone knocked on our door. “I’ll get it,” I said. Reggie stood up and followed me.

Julie was standing on the other side of the door. “Hey, Reggie forgot these yesterday.” She held out a pink earbud case.

“You went over there yesterday?” I asked.

“Yeah, while you were watching The Fosters in your room.”

“You could have watched it with me.”

“You’re on season three and I haven’t started.”

“I’ll go,” Julie said. She was smiling. “Let you two sort this out.”

“Wait, Julie,” Reggie said. “I’m making a lasagna tonight if you all want to come over.”

“That sounds great. Should I bring anything? I think you’re supposed to bring wine to dinner parties but we’re underage.”

“It’s not a party,” Reggie said. “Just neighborly lasagna. Although, if Carrie wants to bring hot cocoa I would not be opposed.”

“Sounds like a plan. When should we come over?”

“It’ll be ready a little after six.”

“I’ll see you then.” She turned around and I shut the door behind her.

“Why don’t we watch episode one tonight?” I asked. “Get you into it. I’ve probably seen the show twenty times, you’ll love it.”

“Sure, why not?”

Reggie was seasoning the potatoes when we heard Julie’s knocking pattern at six exactly. I opened the door. Carrie was holding a large pitcher and Julie and Flynn stood behind her. “I found a glass pitcher for the cocoa but I need somewhere to put it that won’t get damaged by the heat.”

“I can put a decorative towel on the table,” I said. “I’ll go get it. Why don’t you all sit down at the table? Reggie’s seasoning the potatoes and the lasagna is still in the oven.” I walked over to the bathroom where Alex had put a pile of patterned hand towels. I grabbed a floral one and walked back into the kitchen.

“It smells great,” Flynn said. “Are you the reason our apartment smells amazing every night?” Reggie didn’t answer because he dropped the garlic.

“I’d guess as much,” I said. “He cooks every night. Last night was shrimp tacos.”

“Oh, I just love tacos,” Carrie said. “My dad’s agent makes the best tacos in the world.”

“Your dad has an agent?” Alex asked. He came out of his room rubbing his eyes from his nap.

“Oh, you didn’t know? My dad is Trevor Wilson.” I looked over at Alex. I’ve never heard of a Trevor Wilson.

“Crooked Teeth?” Alex asked. “Oh, that’s really cool!” I raised an eyebrow. The only ‘Crooked Teeth’ I’d heard of is the one I wrote about my eighth-grade girlfriend.

“My mom used to be friends with him,” Julie said. “Carrie and I were apparently friends when we were in diapers but we didn’t remember until she was telling her dad about the apartment.”

“That’s storybook friendship right there,” I said. “Reunited at last.” Carrie laughed.

“I do wonder why we stopped hanging out,” Julie said. “My mom never even talked about your dad.”

“My dad says that they fell apart,” Carrie said. “Got busy with their own lives and didn’t have time for each other.”

“Sounds suspicious,” Flynn said. She put her head in her hands and leaned in. “Sounds more like they had a fight if they fell apart so quickly. And the fact that Julie’s mom never brought it up?”

“You should ask her,” Carrie said. “My dad isn’t really honest with me.” Julie’s smile fell and she looked down at her hands in her lap.

“I can’t ask her. She died when I was 15.”

“I’m so sorry,” Carrie said. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You wouldn’t have known,” Julie said. “Besides, I might be able to ask my dad. He would have had to have known what happened, right?”

Reggie walked over to the table with a huge pan of lasagna. The smell from the oven increased tenfold.

“This looks amazing, Reg,” I said.

“If I were Garfield,” Alex said in awe. We all laughed and I think Flynn snorted a little.

“Don’t let it get cold,” Reggie said. A moot point seeing as there was still steam rising, but I grabbed the spatula anyway.

“Thanks for making dinner,” I said.

“Not a problem. We all do chores, I just happen to be the chef.”

“I wish one of us could cook,” Flynn said. “We have lots of soup in our house.”

“I never really learned,” Carrie said. “My chef, Tiana, tried teaching me once but I almost burnt my house down.”

“What were you making?” Reggie asked.

“Green bean casserole.”

“How did that lead to almost burning your house down?”

“I am not a great chef.”


	5. Back to School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day of classes

“When’s your first class?” Reggie asked. We were all sitting in a circle on Alex’s bed. I’ve never been able to sleep the night before school starts.

“I have Physics at 10:00,” I said.

“With Allen?” he asked. I nodded. “That’s rad, we’re in the same class.”

“I took Physics last year,” Alex said. “My first class is Calc 2.”

“When are you ever going to need Calc 2?” I asked. “What do you want to go into?”

“I don’t know yet, I just love math.”

“I suck at math. I almost failed trig but somehow managed to get a 95 on the final and brought my grade to a B.”

“How do you get a 95 on a final for a class you’re failing?” Reggie asked.

“I just got frustrated by the homework and half-assed all of it, which made my test grades bad. I studied for the final for hours.”

“So you’re smart but don’t try?” Alex asked.

“I try,” I said. “I just get frustrated.”

“You have to be really smart to do a semester’s worth of learning right before finals,” Reggie said. “You were your own teacher.”

“Whatever. I don’t like math. I’m not even sure what I want to do with my degree, I kind of just want to play music for the rest of my life.”

“I heard that,” Alex said. “My mom was pestering me to go into medicine but I’d have no free time.”

“I wish there was a foolproof way to make money from music,” Reggie said. “Business majors are basically confirmed jobs immediately but you have to be insanely lucky to make a career for yourself from music.”

“Or insanely talented,” I said. “Like whoever was singing last night when I was trying to sleep.”

“That was amazing,” Reggie said. “I wonder who it was. Julie’s not into music and I’ve heard Carrie and Flynn sing.”

“When did you hear them sing?” Alex asked.

“I was over there the other day for karaoke. Julie wasn’t into it but I killed Chandelier.”

“You’re really becoming friends in secret,” I said. “We’re never invited.”

“You’re always busy.”

“I’m literally never busy. I watch TV in my room.” Reggie shrugged and laid down to fall asleep.

“I guess it’s a sleepover in my room tonight,” Alex said. He put his head down on his pillow and patted the pillow next to him.

Reggie was shaking me awake at 9:00. “Luke, I made eggs.” I was barely even asleep, but I did not feel the need to wake up at 9:00 for a class that takes five minutes to walk to.

“Why are we awake?” I asked. I sat up and looked at Alex. His hair was fanned out over his pillow like a Mohawk. “We have an hour.”

“We should be awake for class,” he said. “I also made coffee.” I shot up and left the room with Reggie.

He had a Christmas mug full of coffee that was basically half creamer. “Take as many eggs as you want,” he said. “I found out last week that Alex doesn’t like eggs.”

“Ungrateful,” I said. I dropped a huge scoop of scrambled eggs on my plate and set it across from Reggie while I made myself a coffee.

“Did you see Alex’s hair?” Reggie asked. “I wish I looked that cute while I slept. Instead, I have a blotchy face and drool at the corners of my mouth.”

“How would you know what you look like when you sleep?”

“Well, I know what I look like when I wake up.”

“I’m sure you look adorable when you sleep.” I sat down with my coffee. “And you’re wrong about what you look like when you first wake up. I mean, those things are true, but your eyes also sparkle, and your hair is perfectly messy.”

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t brush my hair anymore?”

“You should definitely brush your hair, I’m just saying your hair looks cute when you first wake up.”

“Your hair always looks cute.” I smiled into my cup of coffee.

I had a realization a few days ago that Reggie is a huge flirt. I also had the realization that I do not mind him flirting with me.

“We should probably wake Mohawk up,” I said. “We don’t want him to be late for class.”

“It’s 9:06,” Reggie said. “He’s probably just going to have a pop tart for breakfast anyway.”

“It’s only 9:06?”

“Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet?”

“God no.” I pulled out my phone and tapped into my texts with Julie. We don’t text very often but she’s the only person I can trust to be awake right now. She just got out of an 8:00 class and doesn’t have another class until Physics.

Luke - reggies being flirrrrrrrrrty and im panicking

Julie - does luke patterson have a crush

Luke - i dont know i just panic when people flirt

Julie - that’s not a typical reaction to flirting

I put my phone in my pocket. “Who were you texting?” Reggie asked.

“Julie. We were talking about Physics.”

“About how excited she is to have a class with the world’s two most amazing people?”

“That’s narcissistic.”

“But true. Don’t tell Alex I said that.”

I smiled. “I would never.”

Julie knocked on our door at 9:50. She had dark bags under her eyes. “I forgot why I hated high school so much,” she said. “Taking an 8:00 AM class was a huge mistake.”

“What class is it?” Reggie asked. “Can you drop it?”

“I don’t want that on my record. I’ll just suffer through it. It’s only once a week.”

“Why do you care about your college transcript? All that matters is the diploma,” I said.

“Not if I want to go the postgraduate route, which I’ve been considering.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. It’ll delay having to leave education and enter the adult world? It would look great on a résumé.”

“Don’t take a class you hate just to possibly stay in school longer.”

“We should go,” she said. “I don’t want to hit foot traffic.”

“That’s not really how that works, but okay.” I put my keys in my pocket and pulled Reggie out of the room.

Petra Allen had a command over the room that started the second we walked in. We were the first people in the classroom, but she already spoke to us as if she was speaking to thousands. “Take a seat,” she said. “There’s a syllabus in every spot. Attending this class daily would benefit your learning greatly, as well as an understanding of future science classes.”

I sat down at a long table with three other chairs and Reggie sat next to me. Julie was amazed by a painting of a flower on the wall. “Jules,” I whispered. “Are you going to sit down?” She hurried over to sit next to Reggie.

“I love this class,” she said.

“It hasn’t started yet,” Reggie said.

“Dr. Allen seems grand and this syllabus is really cute while still getting to the point. I also love the vibes of the classroom.”

“That is the cutest thing anyone has ever said,” Reggie said. “You’re obsessing over a syllabus.”

“Just you wait, Peters, this is going to be the best class you’ve ever taken. A syllabus will tell you a lot about a class.”

“You sound like Amy Santiago,” I said.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She pulled out her notebook with ‘Physics’ written across the cover.


	6. There For Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke confides in Julie in person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I somehow managed to lose my entire chapter about two paragraphs from the end and got very frustrated so it took me a bit to rewrite it <3

“Lukothy,” Julie said. “You’ve been acting really weird.”

“That’s not my name. My name isn’t even short for Lucas, Luke is my given name.”

“It felt right, Lukemiah. Just roll with it. Why have you been acting weird?” I put my arms on the back of her couch. Flynn was trying to do my eyeliner but kept getting frustrated by my blinking.

“I’m going to need more specifics because I feel like I’ve been acting normal.”

“You aren’t as cocky, I guess? You’re almost reserved but you’ll tell us secrets.”

“You stopped being flirty for no reason,” Flynn said. “I miss the flirting.”

“Someone is going to take a comment like that the wrong way,” I said. “They might try to get with you.”

“You sound like my dad. Stop blinking with your eyes shut. Also, I’m flattered, Luke, but I’m a raging lesbian.”

“I’m not trying to date you, Flynn, and I don’t think it’s possible to blink with your eyes shut.”

“I wouldn’t argue with the person holding a pencil to your eye.”

“Luke’s ignoring the question,” Julie said, turning to Carrie. “Can you crack him?”

“I can try. Flynn, I think liquid eyeliner is the way to go. My turn.” She pulled out a tube and nudged Flynn out of the way. “Okay, Luke. Who’s your best friend?”

“I don’t know. I know who my high school best friend was but I haven’t formed friendships in college that feel the same.”

“Who’s the first person that comes to mind?” Reggie, obviously. We talk about everything every morning. I know the name of every pet he’s ever had. I could answer the security question to get into any of his accounts.

“Maybe Julie?” I don’t know why I said that. “We’ve gotten pretty close in Physics and Religious Studies.”

“We don’t speak in Physics,” Julie said. “You pester me, but I actually pay attention to Dr. Allen. It would be easier without you and Reggie talking about your celebrity crushes for an entire class period.”

“Jordan Fischer is very important to me,” I said.

“Flynn’s right,” Carrie said. “You’re a blinker. I can work with it, though. And I think we’re getting closer to the answer. It would be helpful if Luke was honest.”

“Excuse me?”

“Julie isn’t your best friend. Reggie is. I’ve seen your texts with Julie and almost every single one is about Reginald.”

“That’s not true.” Carrie looked over at Julie who pulled out her phone.

“This morning: ‘Reggie made pancakes!’ Last week: ‘Reggie’s being flirty,’ with nine r’s.”

“We’re just about at the answer,” Carrie said. “Why are you being weird?”

“If this is a long-winded way of telling me to flirt with you all more you could have just told me as much.”

“Y’all are blind,” Flynn said. “Have you noticed he’s been his normal self the entire time he’s been here? Carrie, the left wing is way longer than the right. He’s weird around a specific person who happens to live next door.”

“Alex,” Julie said with such certainty that Carrie messed up the right wing by laughing.

“Damn,” she said. “Now I have to make the left wing longer.”

“They’ll be at his ears by the time you’re done, Care,” Julie said.

“Back to the matter at hand,” Carrie said. “Luke’s weird around Reggie. He used nine r’s to tell Jules that Reggie was being flirty. He lied about Reggie being his best friend even when he wasn’t in the room. All we need is for Luke to admit what we’re all seeing.”

“What if I don’t believe you?”

“Carrie just gave you all of the evidence you need,” Flynn said. “I think it’s time you admit it to yourself.”

“I want to hear one of your secrets first,” I said. “I can’t just drop secrets without a feeling of trust.”

“Goodness gracious,” Carrie said. “Fine. I hate avocados.”

“Despicable,” Flynn said.

“Luke, you had something you wanted to tell us,” Carrie said. “Open your eyes, I’m doing mascara now.”

“I have a crush on Reggie.”

Alex was sitting at the island drinking a smoothie when I walked in. “Holy eyeliner,” he said. “Did you have fun at Julie’s?”

“I had a very revelatory time.”

“That’s vague,” he said. “I love it.”

Reggie walked into the living room and stopped at the couch without sitting down. “Luke’s back,” he said.

“I know,” Alex said. “I’m not talking to a ghost, Reggie.”

“Right. Luke, your eyes are,”

“My eyes aren’t any different, it’s the eyelids.” Reggie rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t realize you have hazel eyes. They’re really pretty.”

“Thanks.”

“Seriously though, this eyeliner is a gorgeous look.”

“Thanks, Reg.”

“Hold on, I want to do your hair to match, is that okay?”

“I guess it’s Mess-With-Luke’s-Appearance Day,” I said. “Alex, do you want to pick out an outfit for me?” Alex nearly knocked his smoothie off the counter when he stood up.

“Hell yes. I’ll be right back with outfits.”

“Plural?”

“We need options. I’m so excited. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in sleeves before.”

“I no longer want you to pick out my outfit.”

“There’s no going back, Luke.”


	7. Late Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Religious Studies project gone wrong

I was almost asleep when someone slammed on the door. I sat up in bed and met Reggie at the door. We heard Alex sitting up in his bed.

I opened the door. Julie was standing there in pajamas with a shoebox under her arm. “We fucked up,” she said.

“Did I know that she swears?” Reggie asked me.

“I don’t think so,” I said. I turned back to Julie. “What happened and why is it so important that you came over at 10:45?”

“I was looking over the syllabus for Religious Studies and our Judgement of Solomon diorama is due tonight, not the 17.”

“Tonight?” Reggie asked. “As in at 11:59 PM? How are we supposed to turn in a diorama outside of class?”

“I emailed Thompson, he said we should send in a picture.”

“So we have an hour to complete this diorama,” I said. “I’ll go get my paints.” I turned around and Alex was stepping out of his room.

“What’s going on?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

“I’m glad you’re awake, apparently we’re all bad at reading a syllabus. Julie will explain.” I patted his shoulder and walked into my room to grab my paints.

Five minutes later we were all sitting around our table with quick-drying clay and 100 different colors of acrylic paint. “I think I should make the baby,” Reggie said. “It’ll be the smallest thing and I have teeny hands.”

“The smallest thing will be the sword,” Alex said. “How detailed does this need to be?”

“I don’t know,” Julie said. “I think he wants it to be a nice quality but he doesn’t care about our technique. We just need to include all of the requirements.”

“And those are?”

“Who’s to say? I say we throw in the baby, the moms, and Solomon and his sword.”

“Whatever we decide we have about ten minutes to make these clay figures,” I said. “We need time for them to harden and time to paint and time to glue. This is why dioramas take more than an hour.”

“Well we don’t have more than an hour,” Julie said. “And if it weren’t for me you wouldn’t even know about the diorama and we’d get docked 50% even turning it in tomorrow.”

“I’ll make Solomon if Reggie makes the sword.”

“Alex, you’re doing the baby,” Julie said. “I’ll make the moms.” She ripped off chunks of clay and set them in front of us. “Luke, you need to make sure that Reggie’s sword fits in Solomon’s hands before they dry.”

“Got it.”

We went into panic mode. Alex was frantically carving features into the baby’s face. He was holding the baby a few inches away from his face.

I rolled the arms and hands first to create a hole for Reggie to base the hilt off of. “Does it fit?” I asked. Reggie slid the sword into the hands and smiled.

“Perfect,” he said. He tapped my nose and went back to shaping the blade. Julie looked over at my bright red face and giggled.

“You have some moms to focus on,” I said. She rolled her eyes but kept smiling.

“Quick-dry clay isn’t quick enough,” Alex said. Ghetto kept poking at his baby’s head. “We need to paint this in like two minutes.”

“Oven,” I said. “Now.” Reggie ran to get a baking sheet and I preheated the oven to 450.

“We’ll pull them out in two minutes,” Julie said. “If they’re not fully dry we’re going to have to deal with it because we have 22 minutes until we have to turn this in.”

Alex set our figures on the tray. “Now we wait, I guess.”

We sat around the table. I looked around at them. These three people that I met a month ago have become so important to me. I spent four years of high school without friendships this important and now I want to know how I survived.

Julie was half asleep with her head on the table. Alex was shaking from half a pot of coffee, but he wasn’t exhausted. I don’t know how Reggie was wide awake, though. He didn’t touch the coffee.

The timer went off and Julie jumped. Alex turned it off and grabbed the tray. He turned off the oven and handed us our figures.

They weren’t quite dry, but they were hard enough that we could paint them. “We only have ten minutes to paint,” Julie said. “We need time to glue these in.”

“Will that take nine minutes?” Alex asked.

“We need to account for wifi in case we can’t send the email immediately.”

“Ten minutes,” I said. “Got it.” I grabbed one of the tiny paintbrushes from the center of the table and started painting King Solomon’s clothing.

The email went through at 11:58. Alex’s phone was running as slow as physically possible, but it went through. We all high-fived when we opened his sent mail and saw it. 

“You should sleep over tonight, Julie,” Reggie said. “Don’t wake Flynn and Carrie for no reason.”

“I don’t want to intrude,” she said. “I have class at eight tomorrow.”

“We’ll probably be up by eight anyway,” I said. “Reggie wakes me up earlier every day.”

“I really don’t want to be late for Physics.”

“Okay,” she said. “But only if I can get in on whatever Reggie’s making for breakfast.”

“Deal,” he said. “What if we all sleep in the living room together?”

“Oh, I’m out,” Alex said. “You already pulled me out of my bed once tonight. I’ll see you in the morning.” He blew a kiss and walked into his room.

The door shut and Reggie turned to us. “Sleepover!” I laughed and we set up blankets on the couch.


End file.
